Tongue construction.



B. P. HANSON & I. NELSON.

TONGUE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1910.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

, ZNVENTORS Hanson I -J\(' EA 5. o n

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM;co.,wAHINuToN, D. c.

NT A i IBENNIE P. HANSON AND NELS I. NELSON, OF ELMORE, MINNESOTA.

TONGUE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed. September 27, 1910.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that we, BENNIE P. HANSON and NELs I. NELSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Elmore, in the county of Faribault and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongue Constructions; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in tongue constructions and more particularly to that class adapted to be used in connection with vehicles and our object is to provide a metallic tongue and means for attaching the same to the hounds of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide means for increasing or decreasing the width of parts of the tongue, whereby the tongue may be used between different hounds which may vary in distances apart, and a further object is to provide a combined support and means for attaching double trees to the tongue.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification hereunto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of the tongue, showing the manner of attaching the same to the vehicle. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof as seen on line 22 Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view as seen on line 3-3 Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the tongue proper, which is preferably formed of a metallic tube, the outer end of the tongue having a curved guard 2, one end of which is entered in the end of the tongue and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by means of a rivet 8. while the opposite end portion of the guard projects below the tongue and is bent at right angles in its length to form a stop 4 for the usual form of ring of a neck yoke (not shown) to limit the movement of the ring on the tongue, the lower section of the guard being attached to the tongue by means of rivets or the like 5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

Serial No. 584,072.

The inner end of the tongue is positioned between the hounds 6 of the vehicle and as said hounds preferably converge toward each other and are a greater distance apart than the width of the tongue, straps 7 are provided, the portions thereof extending longitudinally of the tongue being substantially at the same angle as the angles of the hounds, the rear ends of the straps having arms 8, which project inwardly and are engaged to the tongue by means of a bolt 9 or in any suitable manner.

The forward ends of the straps 7 are brought into engagement with and extended a distance longitudinally of the tongue, the angles of the straps being more abrupt as they pass beyond the ends of the hounds.

The portions of the straps paralleling the tongue are attached to the tongue by means of bolts 10, which project transversely through the tongue and the paralleling portions of the straps.

The tongue is held between the hounds by introducing a rod 11 transversely through the tongue and the ends of the hounds, said rod forming a pivot for the tongue.

The distance between the hounds vary in different vehicles and in order to compensate for this variation, a plate 12 is provided for each strap 7, said plates carrying threaded studs 13, which project through threaded openings in the straps, a nut 14: being attached to each stud, whereby a wrench may be applied thereto to rotate the stud and adjust the plate toward or from the strap, there being preferably two studs for each plate and adjacent the ends thereof.

Resting upon the tongue between the straps 7, and engaging those portions of the straps having the abrupt inclinations, is a double-tree support 15 of inverted channelshape having vertically depending flanges or side walls against the straps and consequently at the same inclination forwardly and backwardly with relation to the tongue, which flanges are secured to the inner faces of said straps by means of bolts 16.

The usual form of double trpe (not shown) rests upon this support and in order to more securely hold the double trees in position, a keeper 17 is fastened to the tongue in the rear of the support and has its forward ends extended over the support and provided with an opening 18, through which the usual form of pin (not shown) is extended to hold the double tree in position on the support.

By this construction, it will be readily seen that while we have produced an extremely strong and durable form of tongue, yet the weight thereof will be reduced to a mlnimuin.

It will likewise be seen that the tongue can be adjusted to fit between hounds varying in distances apart and it will further be seen that by providing the support, as shown, the double trees can be readily attached to the tongue and a firm base provided therefor.

What we claim is The combination with the hounds and tongue of a vehicle of a pair of straps, one secured to each side of the tongue'in advance of the hounds, each of said straps comprising a portion parallel with its respective hound provided with threaded openings through it, a transverse rear end bent inwardly at substantially a right angle to the tongue, and a forwardly bent end secured to the side of the rear end of the tongue, a transverse bolt passing through the hounds and tongue, a plate mounted on each end of said bolt and bearing against its respective hound, threaded studs projecting transversely inward from said plates and engaging in said threaded openings, and a double-tree support straddling the tongue comprising a horizontal body resting upon and extending across the-tongue and vertical depending flanges at the outer sides of said body inclined with relation to the tongue lying against and bolted to the inner sides of the inclined straps adjacent to their connection with the hound.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENNIE P. HANSON. NELS I. NELSON. Witnesses:

S. H. TAYLOR, G. A. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

